


A Skyhold Meeting

by easybakedoodles (Madrugada98)



Series: Jackson Trevelyan: Don't Call Me That [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Multi, aka thats all i do really, takin in game scenes and fucking with em, this ended up much bigger than i thought it would
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 11:45:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14424723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madrugada98/pseuds/easybakedoodles
Summary: Varric has a surprise for JT waiting at Skyhold, he almost forgets to go see what it is, but actually remembers at the last second.





	A Skyhold Meeting

Having to wait for Varric to give the signal to finally approach was a pain and a half. He said it had to be the most opportune moment, and if Anthony walked out too soon then the surprise would be up and that wouldn’t be fun for anyone. Ant knew it was silly but that childish voice in the back of his head begged to play along. So for about an hour now, he had been using force magic to keep himself aloft.

“You can come down now, Messere Inquisitor left for the Hinterlands not ten minutes ago,” Varric called, surprising Anthony with his volume. Ant gave him a look before Varric rolled his eyes and finally added on to his previous sentence. “He took Seeker, Sparkler, and Buttercup with him, just get down here Hawke,” Now it was Ant’s turn to roll his eyes before he lowered himself using small puffs of force magic to make sure he didn’t break his foot falling that distance. Even if it was just a forty foot drop.

“Well this is a bit anticlimactic don’t you think? Telling me to hide up here and such to wait for him to appear but then he just leaves? Almost rude if you think about it,” Anthony said, putting his hands on his hips and pouting slightly. Varric looked as though he were about to reply but was cut off by rapid footsteps on the battlement outside. With a panicked look shared between them Varric was heading for the door as Anthony used his abilities to propel himself upwards.

Soon the door burst inwards and Varric was busy trying to think of a reason that he was in the abandoned tower in the first place. Like a small whirlwind, a young man who Anthony couldn’t place for the life of him, swung into the tower already talking a mile a minute. Varric’s face had been schooled back into nonchalance, and he was obviously trying to keep up with the quick paced lad. Ant could only wish that he was that energetic anymore.

“Whoa whoa, Sharps, slow down, take a breath. I can hardly understand you. Where’s the fire, kid?” Varric said, finally just hoping that he would repeat everything.

“Oh right, sorry I got excited. We were almost down the Skyhold steps and Cassandra started ranting about who you might have been talking about bringing to Skyhold, and then Dorian and Sera started guessing. Then, Sera said it had to be the Champion of Kirkwall because there was no way you knew the Hero of Ferelden, and Cassandra’s face was so red it had to be true and then I remembered you told me to meet you here! So, I figured the Hinterlands could wait for a bit, it’s not like that dragon is going to go anywhere,” He said, still in a rush. However, the bit about the dragon caught Ant’s interest. Dropping down was no hassle and then he ended up behind the boy with the eager question on his lips.

“You said there’s a dragon in the Hinterlands?”

“Ohmakerwhatthefuck!” The lad, (really only someone under the age of 25 would wear armor like that) said in reply to Ant’s appearance.

“Really, Hawke? As if we didn’t have enough dragons in Kirkwall,” Varric piped in, slightly annoyed with the ruined surprise.

“Cassandra is going to absolutely kill me for getting to meet you first,” the boy continued, as if he had not even heard the question.

“See, thats where you’re wrong Sharps, she’s going to kill me first for lying to her, which is why I need you to keep quiet. Besides, we have more important things to talk about,” Varric said, trying to get them back on track.

“Yeah, like the dragon! Where is it? Is it very large? We got mostly the same breed of dragon around Kirkwall, so things got boring kind of fast,” Ant said, remembering the huge dragon in the Bone Pit and all of her many, many, children.

“Wrong line of thought Hawke, c’mon, focus big boy,” Varric said “Something about a friend who can help us?”

“Right yes, Crestwood. Wardens. Something big is happening and I have some friends who can help but he can’t come here directly. You’ll have to go to Crestwood and find them,” Ant said, careful to not disclose the name of his ally. 

“I can’t believe the Champion of Kirkwall is here,” the Inquisitor said, still looking dumbstruck at the man in front of him.

“Right, let’s try this one more time, proper introductions. Sharps, this is Anthony Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall, and the Grand Enchanter of the Kirkwall Circle. Hawke, this is Jackson Trevelyan, youngest son of the Trevelyan family, Herald of Andraste, and most recently leader of the Inquisition. Congratulations, you’ve met,” Varric said dryly.

“JT, please, the full name is terribly stiff,” he said, seemingly coming back to himself and his manners in a way only nobles seemed to pull off.

“Hawke works fine, I don’t use Champion much anymore, and Grand Enchanter makes me feel awkward,” Ant replied. The two shook hands at last and looked each other over.

“I figured you might have some friendly advice about Corypheus, Hawke. You and I did fight him after all,” Varric said, beginning to step away from the two humans. “Well, I’m going to take my leave, see if I can avoid Cassandra long enough for her to cool off some,” Varric finished, heading down the steps.

“You’ve already dropped half a mountain on his head. I’m sure anything I tell you pales in comparison,” Ant said, leaning against the railing, taking in the sight of Skyhold. His freshly shaved head creating a terrible glare. JT had to step closer in order to avoid it.

“I heard all about how you saved Kirkwall from a horde of raging Qunari, I wouldn’t put down your advice so lightly,” JT said, still remembering all the remarkable things he read about the Champion, not seeing the man in front of him.

“I don’t see how that really applies, or is there a horde of rampaging Qunari I don’t know about?” Ant joked, hoping for some levity.

“There’s a Qunari. He almost qualifies as a horde all by himself. Fortunately, he’s on our side. His name’s The Iron Bull, swing by the tavern if you want to meet him,” JT advised. Hawke smiled at the thought of drinking with a Qunari after all of his history with the Arishok. 

“You know, this view reminds me of the home I had in Kirkwall. I had a balcony that let me see all of the city” Ant said, looking back out at the scenery. JT lowered himself onto his elbows as well, allowing him the same view as Hawke.

“You’re lucky it was just a single city, I’ve got half of Thedas. Though most days it feels like the whole world is on my shoulders,” JT said, slumping in on himself.

“You’re doing everything you can to protect them,” Hawke conceded, hoping it would cheer the lad up again. Instead, JT froze next to him.

“Does it ever get any easier?” He asked, sounding as young as he looked. Ant could only reply with honesty.

“I’ll have to let you know on that one. I don’t envy you Inquisitor, but I may be able to help you.” Ant finally said, figuring they might as well get on with it. Trying to remember everything he could from his foray into the Vimmark Mountains.

“Varric said you fought Corypheus,” JT prompted, not remembering this story from the Tale of the Champion.

“Fought and killed. The Grey Wardens were holding him, and he somehow used his connection to the darkspawn to influence them. Corypheus got into their heads, messed with their minds, turned them against each other. If the Wardens have disappeared, they could have fallen under his control again. I remember seeing what it did to Anders, no one should have to go through that,” Ant admitted.

“You said you thought you killed Corypheus?” JT asked, eager to hear more of Hawke’s tales.

“The Grey Wardens had him imprisoned. They used my father’s blood in a ritual to seal Corypheus inside, but he could still reach out and influence the Wardens’ thoughts. He sent them after me. And I didn’t just  _ think _ I killed him. When the fight was done, he was dead on the ground. Maybe his tie to the Blights somehow brought him back, or maybe its old Tevinter magic, but he was dead. I swear it.”

“So Corypheus has the Venatori, the Red Templars, and now possibly the Wardens as well?” JT said with minor hysterics, shaking his head he just turned to sarcasm as he said “Wonderful,” in a dry tone.

“I didn’t come all this way just to give you bad news,” Hawke said, standing up to pat him on the back.

“If that’s what happened to the Wardens, do you think we can free them?” JT asked, knowing the outlook was bleak. Ant however, tried to share his optimism.

“It’s possible, but we need to know more first,” Hawke said.

“You’re giving me a lot of maybes, maybe Corypheus has the Wardens, maybe they can be saved, I need some proof Hawke,” JT said, standing to his full height.

“Then let’s get you some, that friend in the Wardens I mentioned? I actually have a few. The last time we spoke, they were worried about corruption in the Warden ranks. Since then, nothing.” Ant explained.

“Corypheus would certainly qualify as corruption in the ranks if what we saw in the Red Templars is anything to go by. Did your friends disappear with them?” JT asked, trying to be gentle.

“No, they told me they’d be hiding in an old smuggler’s cave near Crestwood like I mentioned,” Ant said.

“If you didn’t know about Corypheus, what were you doing investigating the Wardens?” JT asked.

“One of the templars in Kirkwall was using a strange sort of lyrium. It was red. My brother put a stop to that but, I’d hoped the Wardens could tell me more about it,” Hawke explained. JT didn’t say anything for a moment, thinking about everything that had been said.

“Corypheus had templars with him at Haven. They seemed to have been exposed to the type of lyrium you described.” JT told him.

“Hopefully, my friend in the Wardens will know more.” Ant said, being optimistic again. JT just shrugged.

“I’ll take any lead I can get at the moment,” he admitted.

“Good. I’ll do whatever I can to help. I’ll need to send out a few messages if that’s all right?” Ant asked to JT’s brisk nods. “But let me know if you have anymore questions. Otherwise, I’ll meet you at Crestwood.”

“Actually, I have to ask, where did you go after the mages rebelled?” JT asked.

“I heard the Chantry was thinking about sending an Exalted March to Kirkwall to put down the rebellion. There was no point in it, those who wanted to live free of the Chantry had already fled, having no particular ties to Kirkwall while those who wanted to stay would have been obedient as lambs. Those behind the rebellion knew that Kirkwall’s templar force had been decimated after the death of Knight Commander Meredith and fled. I thought that by turning myself into the Divine herself, I could save more lives than loose. 

As it turned out, I needn’t have bothered. All the Circles were rising up by then, we helped a lot of them take that final step. Afterwards, I returned to Kirkwall with my brother who stepped up into the role of Knight Commander after Cullen had left with Cassandra, and I stepped into the role of Grand Enchanter, to try and keep the peace. Atone for the lives lost on all sides, set a new precedent for how Circles could be run.” Ant explained. “Just some wishful thinking on my part I guess,”

“That’s extremely admirable of you, but what about Anders, what happened there? What was he like?” JT asked, still extremely curious.

“Complicated, it’s not like the minstrels make it out to be. He’s not just a monster or a hero. Or, maybe he’s both. There was a voice in him, literally, driving him towards justice for the mages, so loud it drowned everything else out. He was trying to change the world, he knew it couldn’t happen peacefully. There had to be a catalyst in the equation. I can’t give up on him. He’d be here right now if it was anyone after me but the Wardens. He’s a good friend, but he used to be a Grey Warden, I won’t risk exposing him to whatever they’re going through.” Ant said, thinking of his closest friend.

“What about the rest of your friends and family in Kirkwall, where are they now?” JT asked, hoping to land on a lighter subject.

“When the Wardens began acting strangely I had Aveline and her husband return to Kirkwall to keep an eye on my brother. If the three of them were together I knew I didn’t have anything to worry about. Fenris on the other hand, would have killed himself to protect me. I didn’t want to give him that chance. Isabela is still sailing, for all of our friendship, I knew she needed to be back on the seas rather than stuck in Ferelden. Merrill traveled with her for a while, but then began to help elven refugees who were displaced by the war, sending more than a few your way in fact. My uncle is still in Kirkwall actually, he and my cousin are keeping an eye on the manor while Carver and I are busy.” Ant said.

“Thank you, I know some of these things are hard to talk about,” JT said.

“It’s not an issue, but I’m sure we both have things we need to attend to,” Ant said.

“Right! I was going to fight a dragon!” JT said, finally remembering his team that he left by the gates. “Want to come along Champion?” he asked.

“I thought you’d never ask, Inquisitor,” Ant said with a broad grin on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I just wanted to plot this out, i had a lot more ideas for talking about anders but since i started this drabble like actual years ago i just decided i wanted to finish it and so I did!


End file.
